Hiatus
by milgarion
Summary: summer holidays are the time for unrequited love to surface.


Harry raised an eyebrow as he looked up at the impressive two-storey villa; it's large bay windows glistening in the summer heat. He glanced down at the card he held in his hand, the three lines of the address the only words on it. This had to be the right place. He hefted his bag further up onto his shoulder and walked up towards the large blue painted door, he knocked, turning to look back down the road that the taxi had just left down as he waited. Somewhere beyond the house he heard a shout and a splash and was just about to consider going to see if there was a side door when the door was pulled open.  
  
"Harry!" Hermione beamed at him, her sunglasses shoved up onto her hair, sending the bushy mass into disarray.  
  
"Hi." He smiled back, moving his way into the hall when she beckoned him in. he dropped his bags near a small table where they would stand less chance of getting tripped over.  
  
"Gosh, we didn't expect you for another couple of days, Albus only sent the letter yesterday." She said enthusiastically, her hand wiping away a drop of sweat that had beaded on her brow, threatening to snake its way down her tanned face.  
  
"I needed to get away." He enthused in return, taking the chance to look around.  
  
The new order headquarters were certainly a step up from the times they had used number twelve. The house was large, there would be no problem housing all the members. Much of it was open plan and Harry could see his way through a kitchen that opened out onto a patio where the midday sun was bathing everything with a blinding light. Albus had insisted that the order be moved from the country as it gave the ministry less control over their actions. Not that there was much to do, in the years since the last war, dark arts and ministry opposed crimes had fallen dramatically and even vigilante terrorists had failed to bring around the chaos that they had been used to. There was hardly any need for the order now, but harry suspected that Albus kept it together more for old-time sakes.  
  
"That bad." Hermione's voice interjected his thoughts and brought him back to the present.  
  
"Hmmm." Harry could never quite recall what he was thinking when he applied for a job in muggle relations, the people he had to work with on a day to day basis were total ignorant's, and they weren't even muggles.  
  
"Well, at least you're here now." She told him consolingly. Harry smiled and sighed, running a hand back through his longer hair. He should have had it cut before he came instead of letting it hang around his face like an aged mop. He pushed it back, hoping that it would stay a little as he followed Hermione through the house. "Speaking of which, do you know how long you will be staying?"  
  
"Not sure, I have a...prolonged period of absence." There was no point in telling her he'd actually quit that morning before he'd apparated into the country. She would only lecture him, and that would do her no good as he'd reasoned with himself that he couldn't give a shit what anyone thought, he had enough money to last him a couple of lifetimes and he wasn't going to see it go to waste.  
  
Together they stepped out onto the sun washed patio and instantly Harry could see where the splash he had heard earlier had come from. The large glittering pool was a give away.  
  
"Wow, everybody came?" he remarked upon looking around the poolside. All the old order members were there, a few new ones that Harry hadn't had the pleasure of meeting yet, and what looked like a couple of new Weasley offspring larking around in the pool's shallow end.  
  
"Yeah!" Hermione replied, "Well...it's not like they were going to pass up a free holiday were they?" she said with a smile. "There's still a couple of people who will no doubt arrive in a couple of days, Ron is still caught up at the office with a back log of reports and claims. He says he'll be by the day after tomorrow, if not the next day." She waved at Bill who was sitting at the table playing a game of cards with Albus and Kingsley. They both looked around and waved them over.  
  
"Harry, my dear!" Dumbledore exclaimed when he stood up, enveloping Harry in a tight embrace, "Why, I haven't seen you for at least a year, how are you my dear boy?"  
  
Harry coughed a little as he managed to extricate himself from the old man's grasp. "Great, thank you. And thank you for the invite, it certainly came at the right time." He smiled easily at the little assembled crowd who smiled back at him. He looked up and around, surveying the garden again, waving and smiling at the people he knew. His eyes snagged on the last person and Harry thanked the powers that be that he hadn't been looking back else Harry would have looked a prize fool doing such a large double take.  
  
"Snape's here?" He asked quietly, hoping that he had schooled his voice to just the inflection that he wanted to present. He was just casually asking, he didn't really care. The glanced look in Hermione's direction told him he'd failed.  
  
"Yes, is that a problem?" Albus asked, a small smile playing at the corner of his lips. But Harry didn't notice, he was far too captivated by the lean figure sprawled in the sun lounger with such ridiculous ease it made Harry want to strangle him.   
  
"No." he replied, his voice a little far away, eyes still focused, "I've never seen him in the sunlight is all." He grinned as he returned his gaze to the table.  
  
"Well, the advances in potions over the past couple of years have been amazing. Even the walking dead can bask in the sun like he does." Albus stood, "Now you'll have to excuse me gentlemen, I have to see if Minerva has finished with the shopping list." He placed his cards back on the table and ambled off into the villa leaving Harry gawking in his wake and the others laughing at him.  
  
"He's joking Harry!" Kingsley admonished. "Snape's no more vampire than you or I." He shook his head and returned to his cards, fishing one out of his hand and casting it down on the used pile. Harry was sure he heard him mutter something about being 'gullible.'  
  
"Come on." Hermione giggled, "I'll get you settled in."  
  
"You still like him, don't you?" Hermione had asked him later, when Harry was unpacking his things. Her voice had been sympathetic.  
  
Harry had braced himself against the window ledge, looking out over the back yard where the sun still played in the rippling water. Where the object of his thought still sat, book resting on his leg as he talked to Minerva. "Yes." He had whispered, hanging his head as though condemning himself. Nothing should ever hurt this much, he'd thought. The agonising want and desire, unfulfilled and yet growing stronger every day. Every thing was a reminder to what he had left behind at Hogwarts, his office littered with small trinkets of a time when they had actually got on together, for the greater good of course, because it would never be anything more. Every surface, every wall, covered in small notes that had been sent back and forth between them because they were unable to converse normally, it had become a shrine to his obsession. He shouldn't have left, shouldn't have thought that running away would solve his problems when it only made them worse. He should have taken the job that Albus had offered.  
  
"Oh Harry." A hand rested against the back of his neck, rubbing in a smooth pattern. " I don't know what to say...how long?"  
  
"Five years." He said miserably. Looking back out on the tableau below. "And it's a new hell every day." He moved away from the windowsill, his hands busying themselves with the menial chore of hanging clothes.  
  
"And you've never thought to tell him?" She had asked.  
  
"And what good would come of that, apart from ridicule and scorn?" he shoved a hanger back onto the rail.  
  
"He's changed, you know." She said casually as she leaned against the wall. "He's not like he used to be, you could almost call him nice." She chanced a smile, but Harry didn't look her way, instead his gaze was fixed on the T-shirt he had just hung. He stood that way for a minute and was just opening his mouth to say something when the door opened.  
  
"Harry! Favour to ask." Dumbledore grinned at him.  
  
And that was how it came for Harry to be walking down the hill towards the village with a very quiet Severus Snape at his side. Harry wasn't sure who felt more uncomfortable, although he was sure he could tip the scale in his favour as every time he looked at the man he seemed to blush. He was just glad that he could blame it on the warm weather.  
  
The sun was setting and Albus had asked them to go down to the local supermarket to get a few things so that they could have a barbecue before it closed for the night. He'd also maintained the excuse that it would give Harry a feel for the place. But it didn't explain why Snape had to come along as well. He heard Snape sigh a little and looked at him.  
  
"Sir?" he ventured. He watched as the other man winced a little.  
  
"Don't call me Sir." He spoke to the road ahead, "It makes me feel like an old man."  
  
Harry stared at him, a little non-plussed and unsure what to say to such a remark, that is, until Severus turned to face him.  
  
"I have a name," he elaborated, "use it."  
  
Well, that was a turn up for the books, Harry mused. "Thank you...Severus." He refused to grin at the feel of his name rolling off his tongue. "You can call me Harry if you want." He added, just on the off chance.  
  
"Harry." The other man nodded. "So... Harry. In the attempt at finding even a modicum of insightful conversation whilst in your presence I shall endeavour to ask you a question and I shall be happy if you feel inclined to answer it."  
  
Harry swallowed, not at the thought of what Severus was going to ask, but more from the way the man had said his name. "Fire away." He found himself saying. Severus shot him a funny look.  
  
"What have you been doing with yourself?" The tone in which it was said made it obvious that he didn't want to know, he was just being polite and maybe finding an easy way round to ask the questions he really wanted the answers to.  
  
"This and that." He answered, "nothing as daring or life threatening as what I got up to at school. You haven't been missing out on a lot." And that was an understatement.  
  
"I must admit that the papers have been devoid of their usual hearsay for the past few years, you've done well keeping off the radar's." They turned down a narrower lane, forcing them a little closer together.  
  
Harry smiled gently. "I'm just trying to reclaim what I'd call a normal life."  
  
"And is it?" Severus asked there was a subtle weight to his question that Harry picked up on.  
  
"In what respect?" he asked quietly. He shivered a little when the sleeve of the other man's loose shirt brushed against his bare arm as he side stepped out of the way of an over hanging tree branch. He breathed in the heavy night air, the sky turning purple in the wake of the setting sun.  
  
"In the respect that you perceive what your life as it is...normal."  
  
"I don't know." He replied honestly. "What would you perceive as a normal life?" the lane opened up into a wide town square, the neon lights of the supermarket lighting up the storefront. Harry mentally sighed at the interruption to their first decent conversation. Although he found it in his heart to smile lightly when some of the locals waved at them, a couple of elderly ladies shouting something in their language and then dissolving into good natured laughter. Though he was more surprised when Severus shouted something back that made them laugh even harder, one of them blowing a kiss their way and he could tell by the way that the other man ducked his head, facing the other way that he blushed a little.  
  
They went their separate ways in the shop to save on time, meeting up at the counter to pay when they were finished, Harry packed the stuff into the rucksack he had brought as Minerva had warned him about the brown bags whilst Severus paid. He dragged the strap over his shoulder, thankful that the night air was cooling a little, not so much because of the trek back up the hill but more for the fact that he did not want Bill Weasley's ice cream melting all over him.  
  
Back outside they endured no more taunts from the women but had to face their giggles as they walked past. The night was really closing in now and the sea air was heavy, making the lane seem even narrower as they made their way along it.  
  
"You didn't answer my question." Harry spoke softly, almost afraid to disturb the night.  
  
"What question was that?" Severus asked, turning his face to look at him.  
  
"Your perception of a normal life." Harry reminded him.  
  
"Ah, yes." He paused as though to think for a moment. "The usual I suppose, good job, nice house, a wife, children, those things." He ended on a sigh. It was obvious to harry that Severus was thinking about his own life.  
  
"Well, if that's normal I don't want to be." He smiled into the night. Right now he only had one of those things, a house. More of an apartment actually. He'd rented the entire second floor of an old violin factory when it had been up for sale, it made for some good space and the views of London were excellent.  
  
"But I thought you wanted normality?" Severus queried, a small frown on his face.  
  
"I do." Said Harry lightly, "but not at that price." He laughed a little.  
  
"So no wife and kids then?" He asked, the same weight in his voice as before.  
  
"Not likely." Harry replied softly, ducking a little to avoid the low tree branch. "I'm not exactly that way inclined." He admitted quietly, unsure as to where the hell his reserve had gone. Severus let his eyes fix on Harry, his thoughts whirling in his head as to what the young man was actually getting at. Harry saw his confusion. "I'm gay."  
  
"Oh." Stupid, stupid, stupid. 'Oh', is that all you can come up with. You've fancied the boy for bloody years, you find out he's gay and all you can say is 'Oh'! Severus closed his eyes against his mental tirade and beating at being so bloody stupid.   
  
Harry watched his expression change, his heart failing with every micro second that it took for Snape to open his eyes. What had he been thinking, admitting that to the man. The first interaction that they had had in the last few years and he'd blown it completely. What the fuck was he thinking? And to his utter mortification he could feel his eyes begin to prick. He breathed in deeply, he was not going to cry. He breathed out, okay maybe he would. He hastened his step, making it so that he would walk a few steps in front of Severus, speaking over his shoulder as he did so.  
  
"I'm sorry I've made you uncomfortable." He ducked his head, shifting the bag a little higher on his back. He was just about to speed up a little when a hand grabbed his arm, swinging him round to face the other man. Harry wasn't sure what to make of the look on Severus' face but it was one that Harry had never seen before, and he'd seen the man go through a fair list of emotions. They stared at each other for quite some time, unsure of just how long it was. It could have been a second, it could have been days (although they were sure a search party would have been sent out) but whatever was between them, that held them locked together, only intensified when Severus said, "Don't be." The soft whisper, murmured into the thick night air that was pressed so tightly into this narrow alley made Harry shiver in repressed desire. It was something that did not escape Severus' attention, who watched, breath trembling, as a pink tongue lapped across full, sweet lips, glistening trail left in its wake.   
  
Harry couldn't quite organise his thoughts, the burning circle that held onto his arm swiftly obliterated anything that made its way into his head. It was as though he had been frozen for years and now this burning touch was thawing him from the inside out. His stomach felt as though it had dropped from his stomach, his heart beating in his throat. He was sure that he should drag his eyes away soon, if not then Severus would think him strange, staring at him like this. And as much as he tried the worse it was, those soul deep eyes had caught his and he'd be damned if they let him go. In fact, why hadn't he let him go?  
  
"Severus?" he asked shakily, his lips feeling suddenly numb.  
  
The utterance of his name seemed to shake Severus from his reverie but he still maintained his hold on Harry's arm, as thought addicted to the feeling of toned muscle beneath silken skin. "Don't be." He repeated, suddenly aware of what he had last said, he shook his head minutely, "Umm.... Sorry, I mean, don't be sorry."  
  
Harry looked at him in amused wonder, a slight smile creeping along the edges of his mouth. "I haven't made you uncomfortable then?"  
  
Ecstatic, relieved, hopeful, yes. Uncomfortable, no. "No. Not at all."  
  
"Well, that's okay then." Harry smiled. They stood in silence for a moment or two, both seemingly unable to think of another thing to say. Severus seemed to come to to the fact that he was still holding onto the young man and he regretfully took his hand away. As if it were a cue they began to walk again in silence.  
  
"Christ alive Albus, what the fuck did you put on the grill." Bill shouted as a large fireball erupted from the barbecue, the heat from the flames causing every one to take a step back. Tonks, who had been lighting it, looked extremely put out and Harry thought that she may need a liberal dose of flame retardant potion.  
  
"Just this." The old wizard replied, holding aloft a bottle of liquid lighter fluid, bill snatched it out of his hand as muttered as he read the back of it.  
  
"Liberal dose, Albus! Not the bloody bottle." He shouted in mock annoyance, throwing the bottle into the trash. The fire had gone down and Tonks was beginning to prod the coals with a large iron, shifting them about until they settled.  
  
"Harry dear, give us a hand with these will you please." Harry swung his head round as McGonagal shouted to him from the kitchen. He handed his drink to Arthur and walked into the lit kitchen where Hermione and Minerva were setting out everything onto plates. She handed him a couple and told him to put them on the table outside while she followed with Hermione.  
  
He placed them on the long table that had been set for all the order members, he heard Mundungus shout 'ooo food!' and the ringing sound of a slapped wrist.  
  
"Not yet!" was Minerva's snapped reply, Mundungus skulked off to throw the children into the pool. "So Severus," her voice raised above the argument near the barbecue, "Did you get accosted by those women again?" she gave a little laugh.  
  
"Leave it." He said in a dangerous voice, but Harry could tell by the way he looked at her that he didn't mean it. "They get worse every time."  
  
"I don't want to know." Minerva enthused as she made her way back to the kitchen.   
  
Harry leaned against a chair back and smiled gently as Severus joined him, handing him a fresh beer as he did. "I reckon someone's going to lose their eyebrows." He remarked dryly, pointing with his own drink to the small knot of men trying to take control of the cooking.  
  
Harry grinned. "It's funny, the roles always change when it comes to having Barbecues, most men wouldn't dream of cooking normally, but when the fire comes out they resort to cave man behaviour." He took a large mouthful of his drink.  
  
"Leaving the women to sit back and drink the beer." He replied, his eyes on Molly, Hermione and Minerva in the kitchen, giggling over something or other. He moved so that he too could lean back against the chairs, the result of which left little more than two inches between them. Something that Harry had definitely noticed.  
  
"So." He asked, in want of a distraction. " What did those women say today, down in the square?"  
  
Severus cleared his throat and looked the other way for a couple of seconds. "You don't want to know." He replied.  
  
"If Minerva thinks it's so funny I'm sure I do." He grinned.  
  
Severus looked at him with a patented eyebrow look. "They like to harass me." He elaborated, "it all started with one of the local men asking me for help to get a ball stuck on the roof, its...nothing." He took a hasty drink.  
  
"What did they say?" Harry pushed, grinning a little wider now.  
  
"Nothing." Severus maintained.  
  
"Tell me." He nudged the older man with his shoulder, jostling him a little.  
  
"It was just a misunderstanding."   
  
"About what?"   
  
"You."  
  
"Me?" Harry looked a little surprised.  
  
"Yes you." Severus looked a little uncomfortable as he shifted, crossing his arms. "They thought you...were my boyfriend." He muttered, staring resolutely at the subsiding battle of the barbecue.  
  
"Oh, right." Harry said, taken aback.  
  
"Don't worry, I told them you weren't." Severus was quick to put in. Harry could feel one of those stupid impossible smiles pull at his lips, the kind that you just couldn't stop when they had started. They had thought he was Severus's boyfriend, that meant they thought he was gay. Harry was under the impression that this might be because of the ball incident that Severus had mentioned.  
  
"I don't mind." He said, aware that he had been quiet for a while now. Severus looked at him shrewdly, as though he had mentioned something about seeing a lesser-spotted paddling magpie making it's way around the pool. "That they would say that." He added hastily. Severus continued to look at him.  
  
"No...but your boyfriend might." It was obviously a question and Harry felt a thrill rush down his back that Severus was actually asking.  
  
"I'm sure they would, if I had one." He smiled coyly as he raised his eyes to meet the others, an unreadable emotion disturbing their depths.  
  
"I find it hard to believe that you don't have someone special to share your life with." Severus said quietly, keeping his voice low as though to exclude everyone else, to lock them in a bubble where they might be the only ones.  
  
"Oh, there is someone special. But I'm not sure he would want to share his life with me." Harry stared down at the bottle that had warmed in his hands, the label had been picked off by nervous fingers as they had talked. He could feel the heated stare on his bowed head and he was reluctant to meet it.  
  
"I can't think of a single person who wouldn't want to." Severus replied, his voice melting its way down Harry's spine. He heard his name called again from the kitchen, Hermione was waving him over to help with some more food. He put down the bottle on the freshly laid table cloth and pushed himself from his perch on the back of his chair. Just as he was about to walk away he turned back and met that hot stare.  
  
"Would you?" Harry knew very well that Severus understood his words, he could tell in the way his eyes lit up for the barest of seconds before he turned and walked into the strip lit villa.  
  
Dinner was in all essence, a nightmare. Who's clever idea it was to seat them next to each other Harry didn't know, but when he found out he was sure he would go to Azkaban for a good long stretch. It wasn't all bad though, because he could talk to Hermione and Bill who were sat next to and opposite him, whilst Severus could talk to Minerva and Albus on his side.  
  
What the fuck had possessed him to actually admit his feelings for the man? Okay so he hadn't actually gone so far as to say 'I like you, so much I'd quite like you to fuck me' but Harry was sure he'd made it pretty obvious. And the look in the other man's eyes as he left made it quite evident that he had interpreted the message quite well without Harry's assistance.  
  
And now he had to it here with his right side burning as though it were on fire, every inch of his skin hyper aware of the man sitting next to him.  
  
It was just as Hermione had asked him to pass the bread rolls that he felt a leg press against his own. His hand stopped in an abortive gesture, waiting for a second for Severus to realise his error and remove the offending limb. But he didn't. He could feel the inquisitive stare from Hermione and resumed his motion, leaning slightly to grab at the basket, shooting a look to the man as he sat back down. Severus just gave him a brief glance over the rim of his glass.  
  
He settled back into his seat, Hermione happily spreading butter over her roll, and fought hard to keep an even expression. He would admit that there were quite a few of them around the table, but there was still room enough to avoid having to play footsie with each other. He could then only presume that the other man's leg was pressed against his own because he meant it.  
  
He could feel a blush coming on. His fevered mind supplying all sorts of explanations as to why Severus was trying to give Harry a heart attack, but they all boiled down to nothing in the end. They spent the rest of the meal that way, his concentration shot to pieces and he didn't have a cat in hells chance at keeping up with the conversation. He was almost relieved when Molly asked him to lend a hand clearing up, not daring to even throw a glance his way in case he was unable to stop himself from kissing him then and there, witnesses or not.  
  
It was because of this that he decided to go to bed early, despite Hermione's questioning as to whether he was ill or not. He managed to fight her off by telling her that he'd had a long day and wasn't quite used to the time difference (all of one hour.) as such, he wasn't sure whether he should be surprised when he heard a knock on his door later that night.  
  
He swung his legs off the bed, sitting up from where he had been lying staring at the ceiling, and walked toward the door. In hindsight it should have been bloody obvious that he would open the door to find Severus leaning on the doorframe.  
  
"Severus." He greeted, holding the door open and waving the man in.  
  
"Miss Granger told me you were feeling unwell, I came to see if there were anything I could do." He said warmly as harry shut the door behind him. The soft click as it slid into the latch negating the just spoken question. They both knew it was for the sake of anyone passing.  
  
They eyed each other as though they were fighters trying to guess each other's move.   
  
And within the space of a second they had. Harry breath was pulled from him as he was pushed back against the door, his lips taken and claimed as he was kissed. He tipped his head back, opening his mouth and surrendering to the drunken feeling that raced through his veins, a hot tongue warred with his, each stroke adding to the fuel as they slowly burned.  
  
Severus groaned as young arms were thrown around his neck, hands threading into his hair holding him, pulling him deeper into their kiss. His own hands grasped reflexively at the T-shirt that guarded him from soft skin; he wrapped his arms around the smaller body, pulling them close.  
  
Harry wasn't sure whose pulse he could feel against his chest, they were that close together. Hands roaming, mapping each other. Harry pushed himself up onto tiptoes to give himself an even keel, moaning wantonly as the friction ground their bodies together. He rasped in a breath as their kiss was abandoned, letting his head fall back as a hot mouth bathed his neck, a rough 'Severus' escaping, the arms around him tightening just a fraction. His fingers wound into thick black hair, holding the other man as he arched into those hot kisses.   
  
"Oh God, please." He breathed raggedly, his knees feeling as though they would give way. His mind threatening to shut down at the sheer madness of what he was doing. Harry could scarcely believe it himself. Not twenty four hours ago he had been stuck in a dead end job with no future prospects, waking each morning with an interminable ache lodged firmly within his chest. And now here he was, in southern Spain, in the arms of the very one he had fantasised about for all those years. His mouth being claimed, owned by another.  
  
He moved as they began to walk backwards, inching along the cool tiled floor towards the bed where they fell upon reaching it, Harry's slight body almost completely covered by Severus as the man continued to kiss him. Harry felt a soft cry escape his throat as a sure hand smoothed over his chest, a thumb catching on his peaked nipple that showed through his shirt. He was almost as desperate as Severus to have his shirt removed that he left the kiss to sit up. Two sets of hands tore the shirt from his body, exposing his heated skin to the night air and Severus' hands. He was pushed back against the covers, arms going wide as he landed, his hair thrown around his face like some twisted halo. His hands gripped the sheet as teeth and tongue set about teasing his chest, making him hiss in pleasure as his nipples were worked.  
  
He growled lightly, hips bucking as he rolled them, smiling down triumphantly as he sat astride lean hips. His hands going first to the hem of the shirt, pulling it up and over his head, messing up Severus hair. Harry grinned, capturing the other mans face in his hands and dragging him up into a kiss, their skin pressing together as he sat up. Harry smiled into the kiss at the first ecstasy of contact sent shivers through his body, his breathing hitched as strong arms surrounded him, pulling him closer and grinding their hips together resulting in more guttural groans.  
  
In a moment of brief compose Severus guided Harry's face so that he could look him in the eye. His hand stroked down the young man's neck, revelling in the warmth he gave off. Harry smiled down at him, turning into a shy grin when he reached up to sweep the hair from Harry's eyes and pressed a tender kiss to his jaw. Harry buried his face into the other mans shoulder, his smile pressed into soft skin. A sigh left him as strong hands pressed along his back, rubbing smooth lines down his spine. He groaned his pleasure as kisses joined in, left to cool in the warm Spanish air. He rocked his hips, eyes closed as he focused on the friction, his heavy breaths condensing on Severus' shoulder. The pattern of his name spoken against his skin as skilled hands dropped to his ass and helped build a rhythm.  
  
Harry's hands gripped at Severus' shoulders, small whimpers and soft cries mingled with Severus' hot, heavy breaths. He could feel his body begin to tighten, his legs trembling as he held himself up. "Please." He ground out, sure that if they carried on like this he would not last long. They rolled again, the cool sheets soaking up the heat from Harry's back as he was lain out beneath Severus' body. He almost sobbed with relief when a hand brushed down his chest, agile fingers undoing the buttons, sure hands pulling his cut off trousers and boxers down his legs, leaving them in a pile on the floor. He threw his head back, eyes closed as a hand reached out and wrapped around his arousal, causing the most interesting sounds to spill from his throat. He shouted hoarsely when it began to move, stroking firmly along his length.  
  
He heard his name whispered reverently, a soft kiss nestled in the hair behind his ear, hot breath stirring in his ear. He felt the bed shift and dip, a touch to the inside of his knee made his legs fall open wantonly. He whimpered in loss when that branding touch left his skin, but he wasn't left bereft for long as an exquisite body settled itself between his wantonly spread thighs.  
  
"Severus." He cried out, nails raking across the smooth expanse of his back, hips rolling up against those that rocked against him, the friction causing ribbons of colour to thread in front of his eyes. He hissed on every breath, breaths heavy through gritted teeth. A kiss was placed to his pained brow, smudging the fresh sheen of sweat that broke out on his body.  
  
Severus smiled hazily, his own breathing laboured as he continued to rock against Harry, his long hair dragging against the smooth chest as he bent his head to capture a nipple between his teeth, sending his tongue out to soothe it and delighting in the keening noise that Harry made.  
  
"Please." Was whispered in the air between them. Severus looked up at the desperate look on the young man's face, his cheeks glowing and his eyes alight.  
  
"I don't have anything." He told him. "I..."  
  
"S'alright." Harry breathed back, "This is good." Legs locked around his back, pulling his body closer, the friction and heat between their bodies building to a maddening level.  
  
Severus shifted so that he was leaning on his elbows, braced against Harry's shoulders, fingers threading into sweat slicked hair as he stared down at him, open green eyes looked up him, such a beautiful look of trust and innocence on his face. Swept away by the first solid thrust against the lithe young body, the force of Harry's arching back lifting them both from the bed, his shout echoing in the room, making Severus thankful to the invention of silencing charms.  
  
He didn't stop, unrelenting in his pursuit of the ultimate goal. Harry's hands tugged and pulled against his skin, nails furrowing lines in his back, along his arms as they moved in perfect alignment. Harry squeezed his eyes shut as the pressure built within him, thin tendrils of agonising bliss snaked fiery paths along his hands, across the soles of his feet. He cried out in frustration and desperation, so eager to be there but not wanting to reach it yet, wanting to make it last for an eternity. His legs tightened their hold, the toned muscles shaking as he kept up with the pace. He could feel it coming now, every breath he took was shorter than the last, soft cries punctuating each one followed by a cry so deep that it ripped at his throat as he came. His head thrown back against the sheets, eyes pressed shut, mouth open as all the air left him. His hands twitched in their hold on slick shoulders. He was aware of the liquid heat spreading between them, noting the way the Severus had stilled as well, the other repeating Harry's name again and again like a litany of prayers as he buried his face into the youthful tanned shoulder.  
  
A cool night breeze drifted in from the open bay window, lifting the gauze curtain as it entered the room, cooling the heated, flushed skin of those lying on the bed. Harry idly stroked Severus' back while they calmed a little, basking in the after glow. He reached out with his foot, toes grasping hold of his wand that he had left on the bed side table, he moved in a very flexible pattern of movements, transferring the wand to his hand so he could mutter a cleaning charm.  
  
There was a muffled 'thank you' from his shoulder, which caused Harry to giggle softly, his hands back to toying in the long hair.   
  
"That was...interesting." He spoke quietly into the dark room.  
  
Severus moved, propping himself up onto his elbows, head coming up so that he could look at Harry who swept the hair from his face in a tender gesture. He put on a thoughtful look, "Suppose so." He replied. Harry laughed again.  
  
"But seriously. What is this?" he asked, his face quite serious, half expecting Severus to make his excuses and leave.  
  
"This," Severus said, a hand stroking over Harry's shoulder, roaming down onto his chest. "Is a dream realised." A strange look came over his face as he caressed the silken skin, gazing at Harry as though he were some precious artefact in a museum. "I don't think I could have gone another four years without seeing you again, knowing that I felt like this and that there might have been the slightest chance that you felt for me as well. I had to come and find out. I'll understand if you want nothing more." The way his eyes lowered, following the pattern of his fingers as they travelled over the valley and hill of his hip told Harry that although he may understand, he wouldn't be happy about it.   
  
Harry let his head fall back against the bed, his eyes fixed on the plastered ceiling and the unlit halogen lights. He breathed out slowly. Was Severus implying that he wanted a relationship with Harry? He was already floored by the very idea that the man he had been lusting after all this time had in fact felt the same for him. And how many times had he slipped into a day dream, where in his mind he played out a life with the other man, but it had only been a dream. Could they really make it a reality?  
  
Through his joy fogged brain Harry was aware that the soothing, comforting heat of another body was leaving him and he snapped back to awareness. Severus must have taken his silence for rejection and he was already sitting up, eyes looking towards the door where much of their clothing had been thrown. Harry was quick to reach out and stop him from leaving altogether.  
  
"Don't go." He whispered, face pressed against Severus' back, eyes closed against his heat. He held on, soaking up the intoxicating feel of finally being able to hold. The ache that had been ever present in his life was replaced by something that felt in comparison both joyous and miserable. He had him, after so long he had him.  
  
"Don't go." He said again, "I was only thinking." He could feel Severus turn his head, trying to look at the man who had attached himself to his back. "About us." Harry let go. "Do you mean it."  
  
Severus turned to face him, hair in splendid disarray, "Do you?" He was referring to what Harry had said out by the pool earlier that night, had the young man actually offered him a share in his life?  
  
"Yes." It was barely spoken, accompanied by a nod as his hand came up to stroke Severus' cheek. "But I'm scared." He admitted, "I've dreamt of this, hoped for it but never had I thought it would come true. I don't want to ruin it. I'm not perfect Severus, but I'll try. I will do anything you ask me." He spoke with such heartfelt passion.  
  
"I should be the one saying that." Severus replied, earning him a reproving smile in return. "And you are not the only one who has hoped."   
  
They sat for a while just staring at each other, eyes locked, until Harry shivered in the cooling night, sucking in a breath. Severus pulled the cover back on the bed and joined Harry as he clambered under, both settling next to each other, content to just get the feel of sleeping beside another person.  
  
Harry was sure he had never smiled so much.  
  
Harry woke slowly, his eyes closed as he listened to the various sounds of the birds outside. He could feel the heat of the sun on his back as it spilled through the window and onto his cover-strewn bed. He stretched, making a small mewling sound as his arms wrapped around the pillow he'd been hugging. He legs stretched out to cover the mattress and he frowned when they met no resistance. He turned his head to look at the other side of the bed where the covers lay equally crumpled but empty all the same.   
  
Harry's heart fell as he stared at the vacant space. He felt disappointed that Severus could just up and leave after what they had said and done last night, did it actually mean anything to him?  
  
Thinking this meant that he was shocked when he heard the bathroom door open. He turned over in the bed, pulling the covers tighter around his body as he watched Severus appear from the other room.  
  
"Hey." He said softly, sitting on the side of the bed and leaning over to place a kiss on Harry's lips. "I didn't mean to wake you." He smiled down at him. Harry felt like a complete idiot, so quick to jump to the wrong conclusion. He made an ambivalent noise in the back of his throat.  
  
"You didn't." he stretched again, smiling again when a hand smoothed across his chest, feeling the way his body moved beneath the touch. "You're up early." He remarked.  
  
"No I'm not." Severus looked at the clock on the wall behind Harry's bed. "It's nearly twelve. I was just going down to see if there was any food to steal."  
  
"Or you could go down to the store." Harry said with a glint in his eye that Severus ignored.  
  
"Don't even go there." He retorted. "Is there anything you want?" he asked, sitting up straighter.  
  
Harry thought for a moment, wanting nothing more than Severus to come back to bed, He'd missed waking up in his arms and he almost felt the need to pout. "Hmm...ooo ham!" he thought suddenly.  
  
"Ham?" Severus looked at him as though he were mad.  
  
"Yeah, Ham." Harry said again as though that explained everything, "The wafer thin kind. Lots of it."   
  
"Right." Severus said slowly, eyeing Harry strangely. "Ham it is then." He stood up, pausing to give Harry another kiss, who held onto his face until the last possible second before finally letting go. He watched as Severus tied the drawstring on his cut off's, half tempted to get out of bed and take them back off, although he was glad he didn't because a split second later the door flung wide and Hermione flounced in.  
  
"Harry I...oh?!" she stumbled to a halt just inside the door upon catching sight of Severus who was staring back at her with equal surprise. She looked between them, eyes finally resting on Harry who she gave a questioning look whilst pointing at the other man.  
  
"He was just getting me breakfast. Weren't you Severus." Harry said quite cheerfully, smiling ridiculously at them both. Severus gave him a condescending look and shook his head, eyes rolling at Harry's mischievous nature.  
  
"Uh huh." Hermione said, looking entirely unconvinced. She stood with her hands on her hips as she stared at the young man still happily ensconced in the bed, she looked at him demandingly.  
  
Severus gave a short laugh and made for the door, deciding to leave Harry to this particular conversation. "If you'll excuse me Miss Granger, I have ham to fetch." He said smoothly as he glided past her. He was a couple of steps down the corridor when something soft hit the back of his neck, catching as he turned, he faced the young woman.  
  
"You might want to put that on," she said, pointing at the shirt she had picked off the floor, "It looks like you've been attacked." She said.  
  
He looked down at his arms and shoulders, the tell tale marks of fingernails raked across his skin, bright red stripes across his skin. Just beyond her in the room he could hear Harry laugh. 


End file.
